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Newcastle and Gateshead challenge the capital for urban honours

Newcastle and Gateshead are in the running against the likes of London’s Soho and South Bank to be named “Great Place” and “Great Neighbourhood” of the year by the prestigious Academy of Urbanism. Five judges from the Academy, a high-level cross sector group which seeks to champion the cause of good urbanism, are in Newcastle and Gateshead this week to see for themselves what the area has to offer in terms of best practice in city living.

The town and city combination beat off competition from over 750 nominations to feature on the Academy’s short lists. NewcastleGateshead Quayside is up against London’s South Bank and the Peace and Winter Gardens in Sheffield for the “Great Place” accolade. Grainger Town has also been short listed in the “Great Neighbourhood” category against competition from London’s Soho and Dublin’s Temple Bar area.

Andrew Dixon, Chief Executive of the NewcastleGateshead Initiative, said: “To be shortlisted with the South Bank and Temple Bar really shows how far NewcastleGateshead has come as a destination and as a great place to live.”

This is the second year the awards have run but the first time that they have also included a category for “Mainland European City of the Year” which finds Amsterdam, Berlin and Barcelona on the shortlist.

Mr Dixon said: “The profile of being in an overall shortlist with the likes of Amsterdam and Barcelona is a great honour for the ‘twin cities’ of NewcastleGateshead and is a huge credit to the far reaching vision of the two local authorities.”

The judges will now assess their findings from their visit to Newcastle and Gateshead against criteria which includes: governance, local character and deliverance, user friendliness, commercial success and viability, environmental and social sustainability and functionality. Winners will be recognised in a special award ceremony later this year.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .